In recipe books, the phrase “a pinch of salt” is an instruction to add a scant amount of sodium chloride to a dish in order to brighten its flavors, be they savory or sweet. But throughout most of human history, pinching a bit of salt between the thumb and forefinger, and then letting the captured crystals fall, was the only way to season whatever you were about to eat—salt shakers are a Victorian invention. Pre-shaker salt containers,...Continue Reading